Migrants who had obtained Australian citizenship since arrival were more likely to be employed (73%) than other recent migrants (64%) or temporary residents (63%). Of those who were employed, 75% of recent migrants with a permanent visa and 77% of those with Australian citizenship were employed full time compared with 57% of temporary residents. In all cases males were more likely to be employed full time than females: 90% of male migrants with Australian citizenship were employed full time compared with 63% of females; 83% of males on a permanent visa were employed full time compared with 64% of females; and 62% of male temporary residents were employed full time compared with 50% of females. Temporary residents on student visas were less likely to be employed than other temporary residents (55% compared with 73%) (Table 2).

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The unemployment rate for recent migrants and temporary residents combined was 7%, compared with 5% for people born in Australia. Migrants with Australian citizenship had an unemployment rate of 7%. Temporary residents had a lower unemployment rate (5%) than recent migrants on a permanent visa (9%) (Table 2).

Unemployment rate, By residency type as at November 2010 and sex

The unemployment rate for migrants born in main English-speaking countries was lower than for migrants born in other countries (5% compared with 8%). Also, migrants who had obtained a non-school qualification before arrival had a lower unemployment rate than those who had not (6% and 10% respectively) (Table 3).

LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE

Migrants who had obtained Australian citizenship since arrival had a higher labour force participation rate (79%) than other recent migrants (71%) and temporary residents (66%). In all cases, males had a higher labour force participation rate than females: 88% for male migrants with Australian citizenship compared with 70% for females; 88% for males on a permanent visa compared with 57% for females; and 74% for male temporary residents compared with 58% of females. For males and females born in Australia, the participation rate was 75% and 63% respectively (Table 2).

LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE, By residency type as at November 2010 and sex

Labour force participation rates were higher for recent migrants and temporary residents born in main English-speaking countries (84%) than other countries (67%) and higher for those who had obtained a non-school qualification before arrival than for those who had not (78% and 59% respectively) (Table 3).

FINDING EMPLOYMENT

Some 10% of recent migrants who have had a job in Australia arrived with their first job already arranged while 43% spent three months or less looking for their first job (Table 15).

An estimated 44% of recent migrants who have had a job since arrival received some form of help finding their first job. Of these people:

68% received help from family or friends;

25% from Centrelink or a Job Network agency;

7% from an educational institution;

6% from a migrant association or refugee settlement organisation;

3% from a church or community group (Table 14).

About one third (35%) of recent migrants reported experiencing some difficulty finding their first job in Australia. Of the migrants who experienced difficulty:

64% reported a lack of Australian work experience or references;

33% experienced language difficulties;

23% reported a lack of local contacts or networks;

15% said there were no jobs in their locality, line of work or at all;

15% had difficulty with their skills or qualifications not being recognised;

8% said they did not know how or where to apply for jobs;

7% had restrictions due to their visa type;

7% had difficulties with transport or had no driver's licence (Table 14).

SKILLED MIGRANTS

An estimated 90% of migrants with a skilled visa at November 2010 who were the main applicant were in the labour force and 87% were currently employed. Of those who nominated an occupation for their current visa, 53% were currently employed in the same occupation group as the one they nominated (Table 17).

Some 88% of skilled migrants had obtained a non-school qualification before arrival and 61% of them had used their qualification in their current job. Of those who had not used their qualifications, 38% had tried to find work more suited to their qualifications (Table 17).